The Sleepover
by snapealina
Summary: Remus is visiting Severus one night and doesn't want to go home. Watch out for flammable furniture and fluff.


Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or any names you may recognize. Man, I wish I did, though...

**The Sleepover**

"Checkmate," Severus Snape said for the sixth time that evening, trying hard not to gloat.

"Man, how do you do it, Severus?" Remus Lupin asked. "I suck at this game."

"Indeed you do," the other man chuckled and started setting up the pieces again.

Remus yawned and looked at the clock on the wall behind him. "Wow, it's getting pretty late. I should get home."

"Oh, I didn't realize either." Severus didn't look up from the board, but continued getting the board ready for a new game. "I guess it's pretty late."

Remus got up from his chair and looked at the other man. "Unless…"

"Unless, what?" Severus asked casually.

"Well, my flat isn't connected to the Floo, and I've had perhaps one Firewhiskey too many, so apparating might be a risk." Remus said while looking everywhere but at Severus. "I guess I could call a taxi, but you don't have a telephone."

"What are you trying to say, Lupin?" Severus finally asked.

"Do you think I could stay here for tonight? That sofa of yours is looking pretty comfortable. And I can fall asleep practically anywhere." Remus said carefully.

"If you must," Severus said and went to get some blankets and pillows for the other man.

"Oh, I don't want to be any trouble, Severus." Remus said following him around the house.

"It's fine," Severus mumbled back and gave Remus the pile of pillows and blankets. "I'll use the bathroom first, while you make your bed."

"Thank you, Severus, I really appreciate this." Remus smiled.

Severus didn't answer but went into the bathroom.

Remus made his bed and sat down on the sofa while he waited for Severus to finish. The sofa wasn't at all as comfortable as it looked from a distance, but Remus couldn't actually complain when Severus had been so nice to him to let him stay.

He heard the door open and jumped off the sofa to use the bathroom.

He met Severus in the hallway, wearing nothing but boxers and Remus lost the ability to speak.

"Well, goodnight, Lupin," Severus said as he walked past him on the way to his bedroom.

"Ggggg'night Severus," Remus stuttered and turned to watch the other man leave.

He went into the bathroom, but had forgotten why he was there. The whole scene with Severus in the hallway totally caught him off guard. Was this Severus' way of casually flirting with him? Remus didn't know what to think.

Remus went back into the living room, undressed and lay down on the sofa. It was even worse to lie on than it was to sit on, but Remus pulled the covers over him and tried to make the best of it.

The whole night kept playing over and over in his mind. What did Severus really think of him?

Remus had dropped hints at Severus for months, but had never really known if Severus felt the same way. Of course they had been close friends for a while now, but Remus didn't know if he was more than a friend to Severus. But Severus had let him stay the night. Was that a hint? Remus didn't know what to think. The only thing that was clear to Remus now was that this sofa was extremely uncomfortable. Not only was it horribly hard, but it seemed to get shorter and shorter. And there was something sticking out of the back that kept poking Remus' side.

Remus couldn't take it anymore. He wouldn't get a second of sleep if he stayed on this sofa. He decided to try the chairs instead. They were at least comfortable to sit on.

He moved from the sofa to the chair he had sat on during the entire night. It was much softer and Remus sighed with relief as he sat down. He had brought a blanket and a pillow and tried to make himself as comfortable as he could.

Remus had almost found a position good enough to fall asleep in when he felt himself slide of the chair and onto the floor.

"You have got to be kidding me," he said a bit too loudly.

"What was that?" Severus called from the bedroom.

"Oh, nothing, Severus. I just… hit my toe on he coffee table." Remus lied.

"Well, ok." Severus answered.

Remus was getting desperate. He was tired and wanted to sleep, but Severus' furniture would not let him.

He pointed his wand at the sofa and tried a simple cushioning charm, but that only made the sofa shake and smoke started came out of it. Remus almost panicked. This wasn't supposed to happen.

He tried every spell he could think of to make the sofa stop, but nothing happened.

He didn't have a choice. He had to tell Severus! He pulled the blanket around him and went to find the other wizard.

Remus stopped outside Severus' door and hesitated. A part of him didn't dare to disturb Severus, but he knew he was still awake, and if that sofa didn't stop smoking soon there would be a fire and Severus' would probably be more upset.

He was about to knock when the door flew open by itself and Severus' voice came from behind a book. "What do you want, Lupin?"

"Er… the sofa is sort of…" Remus didn't really know what to say.

"Spit it out, Lupin," Severus grunted from the bed.

"Smoking." Remus finally admitted.

"What?" Severus sat bolt upright in his bed. "Did you say smoking?"

"Well, yes. I thought it was best to let you know." Remus said embarrassed.

A couple of minutes later, Severus had stopped the sofa from shaking and catching fire by muttering a counter spell Remus had never heard before.

"Thank you, Severus. I didn't know what to do." Remus was relieved that the whole thing was over.

"No problem, but how exactly did the sofa get into this state?" Severus wondered.

Remus blushed. "I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep and I tried to do a cushioning charm, but it didn't work.

"That is an understatement." Severus chuckled. "And I thought you said you could fall asleep anywhere."

"Well, obviously not anywhere," Remus admitted.

"What about the chairs then?" Severus suggested.

"I've already tried those." Remus almost whispered from embarrassment.

"Well, I'm running out of furniture, unless you want to try to break my kitchen table as well." Severus said sarcastically.

"There's one more option." Remus regretted speaking as soon as the words fell out of his mouth.

"Oh?" Severus asked curiously.

Remus suddenly felt very Gryffindor and brave and decided to go for it. He had already been humiliated so many times this evening that one more wouldn't hurt. It was really now or never. "Well, you do have a quite large bed. I am a very peaceful sleeper. You won't even notice that I'm there."

Severus just looked at him, and Remus thought that he would throw him out for real after all this.

"Well, if you must," Severus said and headed back to the bedroom.

Remus' jaw dropped and he stood glued to the floor.

"Well are you coming or not," Severus called from the hallway, making Remus snap out of his coma.

"Er… yes, of course," he said and followed the man into the bedroom.

Remus walked carefully into Severus' bedroom. The other man had already gotten into bed and picked up his book when Remus carefully dropped the blanket he had wrapped around him and quickly got into the bed pulling the covers over him.

Remus sighed as he lay down, getting ready to sleep. The room was freezing, but at least the bed was comfortable.

Severus put down his book and turned off the light.

"Goodnight, Severus," Remus said while yawning.

"Goodnight," Severus answered and turned the other way.

The bed was soft and cosy, but the cold room was beginning to become unbearable to Remus. How could Severus sleep in this temperature? It was like the South Pole in here. Remus' teeth started to chatter. And he felt Severus move around on the other side of the bed, clearly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, Severus, but I'm freezing. How can you sleep in this cold?" Remus whispered.

"I can't sleep if it gets too warm," Severus stated.

"I can understand that," Remus agreed. "But this is nowhere close to too warm. I'm freezing my arse off here."

"Oh, really?" Severus asked.

"Well, not literary, but you get the picture." Remus giggled.

"Well I'm not turning up the heat." Severus said firmly.

"How can you stand this, Severus? It's way below zero in there. It must be." Remus managed to stutter after a while.

"I'm used to it," Severus answered.

Remus stuck his hand out to the other man to check if his side was any warmer than his, and Severus yelled out as the iced hand touched his back.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't mean to! I was just checking if your side is any warmer than mine." Remus apologized.

"Well, is it?" Severus asked with an annoyed voice.

"Yes, it is. It's much warmer." Remus admitted. "Can I move a bit closer?"

"If you must," Severus mumbled and let Remus come a bit closer.

Remus could immediately feel the heat from the other man, and felt much more comfortable at once.

Then he realized how close he was to Severus and his thoughts about this night started to run through his mind again. Did Severus really like him just as much as Remus liked him? He never said anything, but the fact that Remus was now merely inches from him, both practically naked made Remus think that there might have been something to his suspicion.

Every little chance he had taken tonight had turned out all right, and he decided to go for one last shot.

Remus moved so close to Severus as he possibly could and put his arm around him. Severus didn't move, and Remus took that as a good sign.

What Remus didn't see was the other man's lips curl into a smile. Severus' plan had worked perfectly.


End file.
